OS X El Capitan

In Short

OS X El Capitan was previewed for the first time at WWDC 2015 on June 8. Version number OS X 10.11 and codenamed Gala, El Capitan was released on September 30, 2015.

OS X El Capitan was previewed for the first time at WWDC 2015 on June 8. Version number OS X 10.11 and codenamed Gala, El Capitan was released on September 30, 2015.

The real-world El Capitan is a geological feature of Yosemite National Park, so it makes sense that OS X El Capitan builds on the foundation Apple laid for OS X Yosemite, as well. It doesn't have a dramatic rework of the user interface like Yosemite did. Instead, Apple's made numerous refinements and improvements to workflow, performance and efficiency to make the Mac faster and easier to use than ever.

Enhancements in El Capitan include a new split-view for apps to make it easier to switch between two apps at once. An improved Mission Control makes it much easier to switch between open apps, and there's a handy way to find your mouse pointer on big Retina display screens simply by shaking it to make it grow. Spotlight now responds to natural language commands. Mail gains new data detectors to make it easier to take action on information people are sending you, an updated Notes app lets you drag clippings in from apps like Safari, Maps, Photos, Pages, Numbers and Keynote. Photos adds editing extensions to make it easier to do more with your images without having to leave the app. Safari adds the ability to mute noisy web pages, pin frequently visited sites for easy visiting, and better performance and efficiency than ever. Maps finally gets support for public transit systems. Metal for OS X promises dramatically improved graphics performance, not just for games but for any app that leverages OpenGL. A host of other performance and security enhancements rounds out El Capitan's offerings. What's more, if your Mac can run Yosemite, it'll be able to run El Capitan too — and just like Yosemite, El Capitan will be absolutely free.

29 September 2015 73By Rene RitchieAs Snow Leopard refined and advanced Leopard, as Mountain Lion refined and advanced Lion, so too does OS X El Capitan refine and advance last year's OS X Yosemite. That means the focus isn't on major redesigns or profound system-level changes, though there is a little of both to be found. The focus is on making OS X smarter, and giving it considerably more polish.

30 September 2015 10By Rene RitchieIf you've got OS X El Capitan questions, we have your answers. Here's everything you need to know about Apple's next big operating system for the Mac: now available on the App Store!

30 September 2015 26By Serenity CaldwellApple's latest OS X software update, El Capitan, has arrived. There's a lot packed into this update, so to help you learn the ropes and get to exploring on your own, we've put together this guide to get started. We'll help you back up your information if you haven't already; walk you through the update process; and suggest some great apps formatted to take advantage of OS X El Capitan's new features.

05 December 2016 26By Rene RitchiemacOS Sierra is more than just a name change, and the fifth public beta of version 10.12.2 is now available. If you want to try it out, you'll need to sign up, enroll your Mac, download Sierra, and install it. We're here to walk you through it and, if you need it, a place to get extra help.

07 July 2016 6By Rene RitchieApple has released a public beta for the upcoming version of macOS Sierra. That means you can now register to try it out, enroll your Mac, download it, and start to experience what's coming this fall. It's a real beta, though. So you shouldn't put it on your primary Mac, and you should know how to downgrade back to El Capitan if you need to. That's where this guide comes in!

15 January 2016By Rich EdmondsApple has sent out a reminder to developers to update their dated security certifications for Apple Wallet, Safari push notifications or Safari extensions by February 14. The new Apple's trusted certificate will expire in February 2023 and developers are strongly urged to include their renewed intermediate certificate, as well as their website pursh certificate in new Safari Push Notification package signatures by the aforementioned date.